The ultimate imaginative playroom

From the Resene decorating blog

If you've got a spare room in your home and young children with vivid imaginations, a playroom project can be great fun for the whole family.

To view more of this project see "Where imagination lives"

Spending a weekend creating a playroom that's centred around creative play is a great family bonding project, while the end product can be used by your kids in years to come.

When designing a playroom to stimulate imaginative play, there is one simple rule to follow: Use plenty of colour. From luscious tangerine to lemon yellow and lime green to cheeky turquoise, you can embrace your children's favourite colours and create a room that's full of fun.

Be practical

Sure, this tip might not scream 'fun' at the first instance. However, taking the time to carefully plan the space from the get-go will ensure the room is used as your children get older as well as retaining your property's potential resale value.

While children may love the thought of a room with walls various shades of the rainbow, the space won't be particularly adaptable as their preferences change or if you decide to sell.

If you want to play with bright, bold colours, pick a single shade for the walls. For instance, Resene California is a fresh, lively orange that will bring charm to any space. Use this for the walls then paint built-in shelves, floor runners and window frames a clean white – such as Resene Half Alabaster.

Once you've painted the room, you can focus on adding further injections of colour to removable objects, such as lightweight storage crates, craft tables and chairs. A stencilled wall decal can add more colour to the space without being a permanent fixture.

Create a scene

Children love being able to climb up, swing off and hide beneath things. Creating a scene can help stimulate their imaginations and offer opportunities for endless play.

If there's a wardrobe in the room that would otherwise go unused, consider removing the doors and creating a cave for kids to curl up in. You can get foam cut to the size of the wardrobe's floor space and have it covered in a bright yellow, purple or lime green fabric. Add plenty of cushions, too.

Are your kids fairytale crazy? Create life-sized toadstools by painting small, lightweight stools with Resene Havoc and painting on white polka dots. Children can easily move these pretend toadstools around the room when playing all kinds of imaginary games.

Wall decals can create a range of moods, from an underwater scene to a room that replicates the space system. From stick-on fish to giant planets, you can easily create a space for all kinds of play, without permanently marking the walls. As kids get older, you can remove the decals and turn the room into a study space.

Don't forget some cosy beanbags in eye-catching colours, too!

Colours mentioned in this article

Swatch
Resene Half Alabaster